This invention is in the field of stretchable and flexible electronics. This invention relates generally to flexible and stretchable electronics adapted for use in biomedical, sensing and robotics applications.
Many established forms of inorganic light emitting diodes (LEDs) and photodetectors (PDs) incorporate rigid, flat and brittle semiconductor wafers as supporting substrates, thereby restricting the ways that these devices can be used. Research in organic optoelectronic materials is motivated, in part, by the potential for alternative applications enabled by integration of thin film devices on flexible sheets of plastic. Many impressive results have been achieved in recent years, several of which are moving toward commercialization.
There is growing interest in the use of organic and inorganic micro/nanomaterials and devices in similarly unusual forms on plastic, paper, textile, rubber, and other flat or curved substrates. For example, European Patent Application EP 1467224 discloses a flexible optical proximity detector which utilizes organic semiconductor elements.
Additionally, sealing of electronic devices permits a variety of uses in biological environments. For example, International Patent Application Publication WO 2009/076088 discloses an implantable optical sensor device which is hermetically sealed.
A variety of platforms are available for printing structures on device substrates and device components supported by device substrates, including nanostructures, microstructures, flexible electronics, and a variety of other patterned structures. For example, a number of patents and patent applications describe different methods and systems for making and printing a wide range of structures, including U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,705,280, 7,195,733, 7,557,367, 7,622,367 and 7,521,292, U.S. Patent Application Publication Nos. 2009/0199960, 2007/0032089, 2008/0108171, 2008/0157235, 2010/0059863, 2010/0052112, 2010/0283069 and 2010/0002402, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/968,637 filed Dec. 15, 2010 and Ser. No. 12/892,001 filed Sep. 28, 2010; all of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entireties to the extent not inconsistent herewith.